Increasing automation of filling stations offers a number of potential advantages including customer convenience, reduced labor and risk to personnel, and lower prices. Customer convenience may be enhanced due to longer hours of operation, more service sites and reduced transaction times. In addition to the advantages of reduced personnel and working hours, automation of filling stations improves personnel safety by reducing cash handling. Reduced operating costs also benefit consumers through lower prices. For all of these reasons, the industry has long sought ways to increase filling station automation.
One form of automation that has gained widespread acceptance is the ability to pay at the pump using credit or debit cards. Typically, a card reader and a monitor are provided at the pump. The monitor prompts the customer to initiate a transaction by inserting a card into the card reader. Upon reading the card, the pump system accesses a card approval service, e.g., the BUYPASS, Upon reading the card, the pump system accesses a card approval service, e.g., the BUYPASS authorization system, PAYPOINT authorization system or other credit card authorization network, in order to obtain card approval for a selected approval amount. The approval amount does not necessarily accurately reflect the subsequent fueling transaction amount. If approval is obtained, the pump system is enabled and the customer may proceed with fueling. Alternatively, where available, so-called smart card systems may allow for payment approval without accessing an external approval service.
Another type of system that is in limited use allows for cash payments. A difficulty associated with cash payments is that customers often desire to fill their tanks and therefore do not know the transaction amount ahead of time. Other customers may wish to receive change to have available for other reasons. One existing system addresses this problem by providing credit vouchers in the event that a balance remains upon completion of the fueling process. In this manner, the customer can pay in cash in an amount sufficient to cover a fill-up. When the fueling process is complete, the credit voucher system issues a voucher that is coded, e.g., with a six digit code, to indicate a balance owed to the customer as change. On a subsequent visit, the customer can enter the code into a keypad of the pump system to receive credit corresponding to the amount of the previously unused payment or balance.
Although existing systems have benefited the industry and some consumers and have achieved significant success with respect to certain segments of the market, the present invention addresses various needs that remain to be satisfied.